Food hygiene training for street vendors

The scheme, which will be flagged off around March 11-12, will continue for 15 days

Around 20,000 food vendors across Delhi will be trained in hygiene and food safety.

Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), Delhi government, and National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) have come together to formulate the training module.

A meeting in this regard was convened on Tuesday, where secretary, Sector Skill Council of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; CEO, FSSAI, officials of the food safety department of the Delhi government, and NASVI members were present, among others. The scheme, which will be flagged off around March 11-12, will continue for 15 days.

Under the project, vendors will be taught techniques on food storage and handling, maintaining hygiene, and customer relationship management. They will then be made to appear for a test and certificates will be given on the basis of their performances.

“We have divided the city into 10 zones for the project, and each zone will have five training centres. Every centre will have to impart training to a total of 500 vendors, with each batch having 40 participants,” said Arbind Singh, national coordinator, NASVI.

To begin as a pilot project, the scheme will be taken up in other States if it sees success.

When asked what would make street vendors attend these sessions, he said that they would get incentives.

“Each vendor will get about Rs. 500 after receiving the certificate. The money will not be given in cash, but will directly be credited in their accounts. They will also get a vending ID card which will have a bar code, thereby registering them under the Street Vendors Act. A ‘hygiene kit’ containing aprons, gloves and caps will also be given to them,” Mr. Arbind said.

A pocket book stating the guidelines will also be given to them.

The announcement of the project was made by Pawan Agrawal, CEO, FSSAI, at the three-day Delhi Street Food Festival which concluded on February 21.